Overview
Mughal-e-Azam (Urdu/Hindi for "The Great Mughal") is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film written and directed by K. Asif. Produced by Shapoorji Pallonji, the film stars Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and Durga Khote. Set in the 16th century, it dramatises the legendary romance between Crown Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) and Anarkali, a court dancer, and the resulting conflict between Salim and his father, Emperor Akbar. The film is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of Hindi cinema.
Key facts
| Title | Mughal-e-Azam |
|---|---|
| Director | K. Asif |
| Producer | Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry |
| Writers | Aman, Wajahat Mirza, Kamal Amrohi, Ehsan Rizvi |
| Music | Naushad |
| Lyrics | Shakeel Badayuni |
| Cinematography | R. D. Mathur |
| Editor | Dharamavir |
| Main cast | Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Durga Khote, Nigar Sultana |
| Language | Hindustani (Urdu-Hindi) |
| Released | 5 August 1960 |
| Country | India |
| Genre | Historical epic, romance, drama |
| Colourised re-release | 12 November 2004 |
Background
The story is loosely adapted from Imtiaz Ali Taj's 1922 Urdu play Anarkali, which itself drew on legends about Salim and a court dancer of Akbar's reign. The historicity of Anarkali remains disputed, and the film treats the tale as romantic legend rather than verified history.
K. Asif first conceived the project in the 1940s. An earlier attempt to film the story was launched in 1946 with Chandra Mohan, Nargis and Sapru, financed by Shiraz Ali Hakim, but was abandoned following the Partition of India in 1947 when Hakim migrated to Pakistan. Asif revived the project in the early 1950s with Shapoorji Pallonji as the new financier, and recast it with Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Madhubala.
Production
Mughal-e-Azam took close to a decade to complete and is among the most expensive Indian films of its era. Filming was done largely at Mohan Studios in Bombay. Costumes were designed with attention to period detail; tailors from Delhi, embroiderers from Surat, jewellers from Hyderabad, and craftsmen from Kolhapur and Rajasthan were reportedly engaged for armour, ornaments and footwear.
The famed Sheesh Mahal set, used for the song Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, was constructed at considerable expense and took months to build. While most of the film was shot in black-and-white, key sequences—including the Sheesh Mahal song—were filmed in Technicolor, and the climactic war sequences were staged on a large scale with horses, elephants and personnel from the Indian Army's Jaipur regiment, according to contemporary press accounts.
Music
The soundtrack, composed by Naushad with lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni, is considered among the finest in Hindi cinema. Vocals were rendered by Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi and others, while classical vocalist Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was persuaded to sing two pieces, Prem Jogan Ban Ke and Shubh Din Aayo. Notable songs include:
- Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya – Lata Mangeshkar
- Mohe Panghat Pe – Lata Mangeshkar
- Teri Mehfil Mein Qismat – Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum
- Ae Mohabbat Zindabad – Mohammed Rafi and chorus
- Khuda Nigehbaan – Lata Mangeshkar
Release and reception
Mughal-e-Azam premiered at the Maratha Mandir cinema in Bombay on 5 August 1960, with the film reels reportedly arriving on a decorated elephant. It went on to become the highest-grossing Indian film of its time, a record it held for many years. Critically, it received praise for its grandeur, performances, dialogue (largely written by Wajahat Mirza), and music.
Awards
- National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi (1961)
- Filmfare Award for Best Film (1961)
- Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography – R. D. Mathur
- Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue – Aman, Wajahat Mirza, Kamal Amrohi, Ehsan Rizvi
Colourised version
In 2004, Sterling Investment Corporation, a Shapoorji Pallonji Group entity, released a fully colourised version of the film. The colourisation was carried out by Indian Academy of Arts and Animation and the digital work supervised over several years; the dialogues were re-recorded in stereo and the music re-mastered. The colourised film was re-released theatrically on 12 November 2004 and met with a strong commercial response, reportedly making Mughal-e-Azam the first fully colourised feature film to receive a wide theatrical re-release.
Stage adaptation
A theatrical adaptation, Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical, was directed by Feroz Abbas Khan and produced by Shapoorji Pallonji. It premiered at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, in October 2016, and has since toured cities in India and abroad.
Significance
Mughal-e-Azam is often cited as a landmark in Indian cinema for its scale, production design, classical Urdu dialogue, and the depiction of Mughal court life. It has shaped popular imagery of Akbar's court for generations of Indian audiences and is frequently included in lists of the greatest Hindi films. The film's themes—love across class lines, conflict between personal desire and dynastic duty, and the moral weight of justice—have given it lasting cultural resonance.